Bleached | Steven Universe

Steven: Isolation

"Hello, Starlight," the enormous Diamond crooned.

        Steven stood quaking in his sandals.

        It was only the second time White Diamond had called upon him, but he was already rather intimidated by her. Like the other Gems had warned him, she was . . . different. He had never seen anything like her.

        She gazed down at him through lidded eyes. Her smile was empty.

        "I do hope you're settling in well. I'm sure your playtime must have been exhausting for you, dear. Everyone really is so glad to see you back and ready to behave."

        Steven flushed. He could never have imagined that a tone so sweet could be so cruelly condescending.

        "How have you been settling in, Pink?"

        Steven felt too miserable to answer. She had left him in Pink Diamond's room for at least twenty-four hours without anything to eat or drink, and nothing to sleep on. Pink Diamond's enormous room was just a mass of smooth polished surfaces. He was aching all over, his mouth was dry, and his stomach twisted in hunger.

        He hadn't had a single person to talk to since he had been locked in. He couldn't see anything outside, either — he couldn't discern the slightest detail about how his family was faring for the bizarre bright light whiting out the windows.

        There was a tense, expectant silence in the room. He snatched a glance at White Diamond, still smiling softly down at him as an adult would a stupid child. He could somehow feel that the conversation would not progress in the slightest if he did not reply.

        "It's been—"

        "Wonderful. I'm so glad." White Diamond's expression did not change. "Blue and Yellow have been asking about you."

        He perked up, hope rising in his chest. "They have?"

        "And I have told them that no one may see you at the moment," she continued, ignoring him. "We wouldn't want anyone interrupting your period of rest, would we?"

        He didn't say anything. He just stared down at his feet, trying to suppress the shivers running through his cold, exhausted body.

        "Of course, we do have to see about getting you another Pearl. Your old one . . . disappeared, around the time you left."

        Her tone told him that she knew exactly what had happened with that Pearl. He felt fear rise in his chest.

        "Is she okay? Are the Gems oka—"

        "I would prefer a specially made Pearl for you, Starlight. It will take at least a few years before I can give one to you."

        She batted her eyes. "Perhaps we can put that failed colony of yours to some good use. And, of course, we do need to realign your Court. That shouldn't take nearly as much time . . . unless you would prefer some new Gems altogether. After all, any self-respecting Diamond would have a Court devoid of any defective Gems."

        Her emotionless drone was unbearable. He lifted his head to look at her, and was met with those brilliant, white, sightless eyes. Eyes that seemed to pierce right through his soul.

        White Diamond was obviously unaware that he was organic. He was sure that if he went into that room again, he would starve or dehydrate. Noticing the chilled silence, he took advantage and inhaled a sharp breath.

        "I want to go home!"

        A moment's silence. White smiled at him endearingly. "Of course. I will send you back to the comfort of your own room."

        "That's not my HOME!" he cried, feeling desperate. "I want to go back to Earth! Please!"

        "Oh, Pink. You're not still obsessed with that failure?"

        "It's . . . not—"

        "I see. I will make sure to give you plenty of time before entrusting you with your next colony."

        "I DON'T WANT ANOTHER COLONY!" he was surprised she was even letting him get through full sentences, but he ploughed on. "I JUST WANT TO GO HOME! I HATE IT HERE!"

        White's eyes flashed.

        For a moment, everything was terrifyingly still.

        "I thought we established that we were finished with games, Starlight."

        Steven knew he was on shaky ground, but by this time desperation had taken over completely. "This isn't a game! I want to go home!" . . . Literally shaky ground.

        The room trembled as White's expression tightened. "Very well." With what seemed like a flicker of her consciousness, she summoned her dead-eyed Pearl out of nowhere. The ghostly Gem skimmed over the floor to stand rigidly beside Steven.

        "We will discuss this later. Our next meeting will be in a few months."

        A few months! Under house arrest!

        "I expect you will not cause any trouble until we can talk again. I hope to see you when you have rested sufficiently."

        Clearly she thought his behaviour was the result of some sort of exhaustion hysteria.

        Her expression relaxed, and her lips curled the slightest bit further. "Enjoy yourself, Pink!"

        And he was bubbled again. Before he knew it he was back where he had started.

        He sank to his knees, trembling. He was never going to get out of here. He couldn't push away the thought that he would never see Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst, his dad or Connie again. It felt too cold and unreal a possibility.

        A faint musical sound made him lurch to his feet. There was a door-shaped panel glowing at the bottom of the wall in front of him. It was much smaller than any other doors he had seen thus far.

        The panel opened and in strode a well-built purple Gem. Her long pale locks swayed as she walked.

        . . . An Amethyst guard.

        In a few long strides she was in front of Steven, bending at the waist to press something into his hand.

        "There's water in the fruit. They're coming for you. Don't worry."

        And with that, she straightened and strode purposefully through the sealing panel, gone as suddenly as she had appeared.

        Steven's eyes dropped to his closed fist. What had she given him?

        He uncurled his fingers. In his palm sat an egg-sized blue fruit and a crumpled strip of paper. He sat, set the fruit down and unfurled the paper first.

        A familiar, elegant hand greeted him.

Dear Steven,
        We're on our way to get you out. Hang in there for us. In the meantime, the other Amethyst guards will bring you food.
        Love,

Amethyst
        GARNET
                Connie
                        + Pearl.

He sighed, recrumpling the paper. Then, on second thoughts, he shredded it and stuffed it into his pocket.

        He pulled his knees to his chest and bit into the sugary fruit. He trusted his family. He would be free soon.

        All he had to do was wait.